Youth ministry 1.0 (1960′s) accomplished their task! They did a phenomenal job. However, the 21st century (3.0) youth ministry is dealing with a family system that is heavily fragmented. Back in the 1950′s there was a high moral value for having a sustaining and maintaining nuclear family. Bottom line: Divorce was not an option.

In the 21st century, the American family is deeply declining. Check out these alarming statistics: ½ of first marriages end in divorce, 60% of divorces involve children, 1/3 of American children are born out of wedlock, and 40% of children don’t live with their biological fathers. About 55% of American families do not live in a perfect home with a biological mother and father, two kids, and a pet dog named Lassie.

Obviously the 21st family versus the 1955 family is completely different. The roles/expectations of mom and dad have been refined. Therefore we applaud the major contributions what 1.0 youth ministry accomplished, while remixing and revamping how to best minister to the 21st century family.

A child living in a single parent home is 5 times more likely to be poor than a child living in a two parent household. This is the world in which we live in.

I disagree. We are still speaking of the evils of “youth culture” and their parents still bring them to us in order that we may save them from that (while at the same time advocating it in some degree in their own homes), and as one of the greats of us said, “to make them nice.” We are still doing youth ministry as if we don’t understand that shift or task of adolescence. It is a seesaw between perception and reality. Perception: this is what reached me, therefore, it will reach those at the same age I was when I heard it. Reality: Even those of us in our early to mid 20s are finding that the culture we came out of is drastically different. We would like it to be the same, but are faced with their reality.

Quote: Then, in the late 60s and early 70s, some youth workers started thinking, “This isn’t working. Something’s wrong.”

What was wrong? The way they were addressing youth? The message they gave? The fact that no matter what they tried, youth were still not changing their lives? Or did the way they were doing it just finally reach its expiration date?

We’ve seen the shift of youth ministry over the years to accommodate perceived needs in the youth culture. After all, they once considered throwing out Sunday School at the turn of the century, when it was found to have failed to achieve its goal of the character development of its students.
I am thankful that the shifting hasn’t stopped, that we are active in our pursuit of Christ and continued diving into a culture that many of us left behind when it was much different.
(ps. sorry if it posted twice.)

I disagree. We are still speaking of the evils of “youth culture” and their parents still bring them to us in order that we may save them from that (while at the same time advocating it in some degree in their own homes), and as one of the greats of us said, “to make them nice.” We are still doing youth ministry as if we don’t understand that shift or task of adolescence. It is a seesaw between perception and reality. Perception: this is what reached me, therefore, it will reach those at the same age I was when I heard it. Reality: Even those of us in our early to mid 20s are finding that the culture we came out of is drastically different. We would like it to be the same, but are faced with their reality.

Quote: Then, in the late 60s and early 70s, some youth workers started thinking, “This isn’t working. Something’s wrong.”

What was wrong? The way they were addressing youth? The message they gave? The fact that no matter what they tried, youth were still not changing their lives? Or did the way they were doing it just finally reach its expiration date?

We’ve seen the shift of youth ministry over the years to accommodate perceived needs in the youth culture. After all, they once considered throwing out Sunday School at the turn of the century, when it was found to have failed to achieve its goal of the character development of its students.
I am thankful that the shifting hasn’t stopped, that we are active in our pursuit of Christ and continued diving into a culture that many of us left behind when it was much different.